As Joe and I were walking through the grocery store the other night it occurred to me that it’s been a while since I’ve posted an ice cream recipe. I make Joe’s favorite, vanilla, at least once a week. Playing around with other flavor combos is something I have to squeeze in here and there.
After doing a mental refrigerator inventory, I decided to use some leftover cream cheese while it was still good. I’ve made blueberry cheesecake ice cream but I wanted something quick, simple, and a little more versatile.
This ice cream base came together in about 5 minutes. After letting it chill, I gave it a good stir and then poured it into my ice cream maker. The resulting ice cream was rich, tangy and creamy – just like frozen cheesecake. And it’s made with healthier ingredients, too.
Because it’s so rich you don’t need a lot of this ice cream to feel satisfied. Eat it with lots of fresh berries. Take a bit of the ice cream, scoop up a berry, then savor it.
Slowly.
Other Delicious Ice Creams to Try
- Creme Brulee Ice Cream from Gluten-Free Easily
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream from Tasty Eats at Home
- Mint Chip Ice Cream from Diet, Desserts, and Dogs
- Vegan Peach Ice Scream from Gluten-Free Goddess
This post is linked to Two for Tuesdays at A Moderate Life.
Cheesecake Ice Cream with Fresh Blueberries
serves 3 – 41 cup 1% milk, divided
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
6 ounces light cream cheese
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 drops liquid steviaPut 1/2 cup milk in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Sprinkle with gelatin and let gelatin soften for several minutes. Heat until milk scalds, stirring often to dissolve gelatin.
Meanwhile, put remaining 1/2 cup milk, cream cheese, agave, and lemon juice in a blender or VitaMix. Strain scalded milk mixture into the blender. Start on low, increasing speed to medium, blending until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a bowl and stir in heavy cream, vanilla extract, and stevia.
Let ice cream base chill for several hours or overnight. It will be very thick. Stir well with a large spoon until smooth. Stir freeze according to manufacturers directions. Place in freezer to harden. Allow ice cream to sit at room temperature for 5 – 15 minutes before serving, or until it’s easy to scoop.
Carbzilla
posted on August 12, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Thanks for the print friendly directions. I should just bring my laptop down to the kitchen but I’m afraid it would get messy. This will definitely be a weekend recipe for my new ice cream maker!
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gfe--gluten free easily
posted on August 13, 2010 at 2:38 pm
Sounds great, Amy! You could change the cheesecake flavor combination so easily, too, with a different fruit or a light topping.
Shirley
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Zoe @ Z's Cup of Tea
posted on August 14, 2010 at 2:05 am
I really like cheesecake, so I know I’d love an ice cream version just as much! I haven’t made cheesecake yet as I have to make it dairy-free first and haven’t figured that out yet.
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Heather @CeliacFamily
posted on August 14, 2010 at 7:36 am
Looks great, Amy! My ice cream maker has been sitting untouched on my counter for several days now. I put it there to help motivate me, but I think your picture above is motivating me even more.
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Carbzilla
posted on August 14, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Hi Amy – I’m making this right now and the instructions are confusing. When do you add the milk/gelatin mixture to the rest? I just eventually mixed everything together, threw it into the freezer for ten mins and then poured into the ice cream maker. It looks like it’s coming together fine. It’s 90 degrees here in Seattle, and I can’t wait to have a bowl!
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Amy Reply:
August 15th, 2010 at 10:01 am
@Carbzilla, You’re right – I left out the part where you strain the scalded milk mixture into the blender. I fixed it. Thanks for the heads up. It sounds like your method would work just fine. I chill my ice cream base much longer but if it was chilled enough after 10 minutes in the freezer that’s great.
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Carbzilla Reply:
August 15th, 2010 at 10:30 am
@Amy,
Hi Amy – thanks for the clarification! It turned out delicious though
it did have little gelatin chunks in it. I should have brought the
milk up slower I think, and the pan was already hot from a botched
batch (I didn’t realize you added the gelatin and THEN heated the milk
so I had to do it over). I didn’t mix the other ingredients in the
Vita but mixed them with the hand blender – not so long that the
cream became whipped. The Vita may have done a better job on the
gelatin pieces.
Guess I’ll have to give it another try – maybe this time with fresh
raspberries!
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Alta
posted on August 15, 2010 at 2:51 pm
This sounds lovely and decadent!
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Aubree Cherie
posted on August 15, 2010 at 8:15 pm
I wouldn’t be able to eat this, but boy do I wish I could! YUUUM
~Aubree Cherie
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Erin Elberson
posted on August 16, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Amy,
I feel compelled to tell you that between you and Shirley, I have been FORCED to buy an ice cream maker.
It arrives this week. I can’t wait! I’m a chocolate fan, so any recipes involving chocolate are welcome! (Haven’t gone back yet to look and see if you’ve posted some already.)
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Amy Reply:
August 16th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
@Erin Elberson, I am so happy for you! I love my ice cream makers. (I have two…) I do have a couple of chocolate ice cream recipes – Light Chocolate Ice Cream and Dark Chocolate with a variation adding Orange.
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Iris
posted on August 16, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Wow, I just saw the Amazon cover of your book! It looks great!
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Amy Reply:
August 17th, 2010 at 11:16 am
@Iris, That’s not the final copy of the cover…it was just a ‘placeholder’ until it’s been finalized. Once it’s totally perfect, I’m going to share it here. I’m glad you like it and I can’t wait to show you the final product! Hugs!!
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girlichef
posted on August 17, 2010 at 9:43 am
mmmm…this sounds completely divine! I am going to have to try your recipe…with fresh berries… hard to beat! Thank you for sharing this with Two for Tuesdays
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Amritha
posted on August 17, 2010 at 9:50 am
Amy this sounds so delicious. Can’t wait to try it. Any idea how many calories this is ? I’m GF but I’m watching my weight too, so just wanted an idea
and i must say your picture reminds me of the one on the caloricious app. It’s like this cuztomised food search engine for ppl with spl dietery needs. It’s a god send for Gluten-free users let me tell u! I downloaded the app on itunes, maybe u sud check it out as well, http://www.caloricious.com/ i hope this helps you in some way 
Cheers !
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Barbara @ moderncomfortfood
posted on August 17, 2010 at 10:20 am
This looks perfect for summer, Amy, particularly since it has my favorite dessert combination of blueberries and cream cheese in it. I might sneak a bit of sugar into mine (!) but am bookmarking your recipe to make this weekend.
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Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
posted on August 17, 2010 at 11:16 am
This sounds great, Amy! I am going to have to try it one of these days for sure!
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Chaya
posted on August 17, 2010 at 2:11 pm
This ice cream looks out of this world good. I just made my very first ice cream, chocolate marshmallow and it was good.
Ice cream is so right, in this weather.
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Christine
posted on August 17, 2010 at 7:32 pm
This sounds absolutely delicious as I loooooove cheesecake. All these ice cream recipes everywhere really makes me wish that I had an ice cream maker.
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Alex@A Moderate Life
posted on August 17, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Hi Ames! I so need an icecream maker! It really should be on my christmas list! Thanks for sharing on the two for tuesday recipe blog hop! (p.s. the link isnt live, please check!) Hugs! Alex@amoderatelife
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Jason@jlhealthtulsa
posted on August 18, 2010 at 8:30 am
Wow do I ever love homemade ice cream! Yours looks soooo good. Thanks for sharing!!
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Evan Thomas
posted on August 18, 2010 at 12:58 pm
This sounds SO GOOD. It’s recipes like this that make living dairy free rough
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Butterpoweredbike
posted on August 18, 2010 at 6:01 pm
I’ve got some peaches ripening up. I bet they’d just love to be eaten with cheesecake ice cream. It’s like their little peach fate. Mmmm. Thanks for linking up with Two for Tuesday.
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Christy
posted on August 23, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Yum! I wish I had an icecream maker! This sounds unbelievably heavenly! Thanks for linking this to Two for Tuesdays!
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Teresa
posted on August 30, 2010 at 11:09 am
I am not able to get unflavored gelatin in the store so could I replace that with agar agar or something else?
Thanks!
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Amy Reply:
August 31st, 2010 at 10:34 am
@Teresa, I’ve never used agar agar but it’s the vegan alternative to gelatin so it should work in the same way. I don’t know in what ratio it should be substituted, though. I’m sure you can google it.
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